Bend Venture Conference adds Social Impact Category

New to the Bend Venture Conference (BVC) this year was the addition of Social Impact Category carrying an investment of $250,000! These applicants were described as “for-profit Oregonian companies whose business models are integrated with a mission to have a significant and measurable social or environmental impact.” This addition by the BVC, now in its 13th year, is just another example of growth in the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) arena where consumers are driving demand for companies to not only work to turn a profit but to help bring positive changes to our world.

TryECO (Portland, Ore.): Develops super absorbent polymers that are soil amendments and seed coatings, which increase crop yields with less water while improving soil tilth and biologics.

These four companies made their final pitch for the capital infusion last Thursday at the Tower Theater in front of a packed house. A common thread running through each presentation was the role of business in helping to address environmental and social needs.

We have written before about the impact of the local favorite, Sudara. Its founder, Shannon Keith, moved the minds and hearts of all those present with the vision of profitable businesses bringing about significant changes to help counter horrific injustices. In addition to having already succeeded in turning a profit and building communities and jobs in India as well as here in Bend, they have also helped 1000’s of women find a meaningful life after being rescued from sex slavery in India!

Congratulations to this year’s BVC Social Impact winner, Sudara!!!

Our company had a role in this process with my partner Ryan Andrews having been recruited by EDCO to serve as the manager for the social impact fund.

Location

About Us

Affiliations

Investment Advice is offered through Cascade Financial Strategies, a registered investment advisor licensed in Oregon, California and Idaho (We also operate in other states under the "de minimis" exemption, meaning having five or fewer clients within that state).

An investment advisor or IA rep may only transact business in a particular state after licensure or satisfying qualifications requirements of that state, or only if they are excluded or exempted from the state’s investment advisor or IA rep requirements; and follow up, individualized responses to consumers in a particular state by investment advisor or IA rep that involve either the effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, shall not be made without first complying with the state’s investment advisor or IA rep requirements, or pursuant to an applicable state exemption or exclusion. For information concerning the licensure status or disciplinary history of an investment advisor or IA rep, please do not hesitate to contact your state securities law administrator. Cascade Financial Strategies